Conyers, Governor Snyder, Rev. Williams Discuss Emergency Managers Law

Conyers, Governor Snyder, Rev. Williams Discuss Emergency Managers Law

(WASHINGTON) –  Today, House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) and Reverend Charles E. Williams II, President of the Detroit chapter of the National Action Network, met Governor Rick Snyder to discuss Michigan’s Emergency Managers law, Public Act 4.  The meeting occurred prior to Governor Snyder’s testimony before the House Committee on Education and Workforce. 

U.S. Representative John Conyers, Jr. and Michigan
Governor Rick Snyder discussing Emergency
Manager Law in D.C.

At today’s meeting, Representative Conyers and Reverend Williams expressed to Governor Snyder their continuing concerns regarding the constitutionality and inherently undemocratic nature of the Emergency Manager law.  Governor Snyder expressed his willingness to continue the dialogue regarding the Emergency Manager law and possible remedies to current financial problems facing many municipalities within the State of Michigan.

Previously in a letter written to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder last December, Representative Conyers requested the Department of Justice to review, monitor, and if necessary challenge the application of Michigan’s Emergency Manager law on the basis that it may violate the U.S. Constitution. 

Last December, Representative Conyers sent a letter to Governor Snyder, along with two other members of the Michigan’s U.S. House Delegation, 55 State Legislators (9 State Senators and 46 State Representatives) and 8 Detroit City Council Members, requesting a meeting with Governor Snyder before he took any further actions under the Emergency Manager Law.  The letter also expressed concerns that the Emergency Manager law undermines voting rights and democratic principles (including disproportionately disenfranchising persons of color), as well as collective bargaining rights.  Furthermore, It expressed their concern regarding efforts by Governor Snyder’s administration to pursue additional stop-gap legislation to thwart voter initiatives to revoke the Emergency Manager law. 

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